If this would be better in the Journal section let me know and I will move it
I am always in a state of planning at least 2 vacations big or small and I thought it would be fun to talk about travel plans or amazing past trips you’ve taken that you would recommend to others. I think the idea of travelling is more and more on peoples minds lately, or maybe that’s just me?
My current travel plans for 2021 involve fairly local places; Lake Winnipesaukee NH for a week, The Rochester NY area for long weekend, and Rangeley ME also a long weekend, all within a one day drive (between 2 and 7 hours)
Then of course I have the travel that I am planning over the next couple years; Colorado or Utah (2022) Disney World and possible a short Bermuda Cruise (2023) - Hoping my Sister’s family, My Dad, and my older Daughter will join us for a big family trip to Disney and then we have a $300 Royal Caribbean credit that we need to use up so I’m thinking we can leave out of Port Canaveral for a short 3-4 night Bermuda cruise then hit Disney for a week. This could save some money on flights and use up this credit. Prince Edward Island (2022-2024?) No real idea of when we could fit this in. Depends of course on being able to get into Canada but I imagine by 2022 it won’t be locked down at the border. Antarctica (POST-FIRE 203?ish) This is way out there but something that’s on my list so I’m putting it here.
Ah! Hello. All I am currently doing is fantasizing about travel so…
My eventual plan is to go to every country in the world and ride trains in every country with passenger rail (heavy or light) and ride a bike in every country. I’m at 43 right now so I got a fair way to go.
2021 Travel Plans:
2 day trip to LA for immigration in June
Hawaii??
Sun Valley, ID in August?
[possible] trip to Balkans in fall to scout property
2022 Travel Plans, at this rate I will need to quit my job to keep up with the travel, which I might:
Feb- Kenya for 1 week (booked)
March - depending on covid, Thailand for a meeting and then Vietnam/Cambodia by train
If Balkans doesn’t work in '21 due to covid, Croatia + Greece + Serbia + Turkey in summer, possibly for Croatian language program
If ^^ doesn’t work, possibly London in early summer for a short course in broadcasting
November - Hong kong for the Gay Games
2023
[???] depending on visas and foreign relations and covid, Iran in spring
One of my Post-FIRE dreams is to ride my bike along the East Coast Greenway. It goes from the top of Maine to Key West. It’s not 100% done yet but getting there. A lot of construction happened last year which was awesome.
RE: Croatia, a co-worker of mine told me that I have to visit Croatia sometime in my life. He was really insistent on it.
It’s a very beautiful place with friendly people. The country is mostly coastline! People are friendly, and prices are low until they join the eurozone and switch to the Euro in ~2023-2025. It’s very good for cycling holidays, many german tourist come to cycle Krk and other islands.
Oh and I forgot to add my Las Vegas trip in Sept to my list, it’s for a work conference so not a vacation but still travel and I’m sure I’ll fit some fun in there.
Yay! I have never left the US and still have to get my passport. I am from a family that literally never vacations and it’s a terrible legacy.
I semi-impulsively bought train tickets to VA Beach last night because it’s the cheapest they were gonna get and if I sit around thinking too much I won’t actually get anywhere. I’ll be there 3 days/2 nights. There’s several cheap Airbnb options I’m seeing, or I might even try camping if I can find somewhere to borrow/rent a small tent.
I don’t know what I’m going to do down there but I will definitely be first time stand up paddle boarding.
After I get my passport and Canada decides to let us in again I am going to Montreal.
It’s kind of random but I really want to go to Helsinki as my first off-continent trip
Sounds lovely. I love the idea of travel by train. It feels so “romantic” I guess is the word? Stand up Paddle boarding is fun and VA beach I’m sure is a great place to try it out.
coincidently I can fly to Kenya for this same price. I love going to Google Flights and opening up the full map to just see what comes up. Some flights are dirt cheap right now.
I almost got to be a courier (where they pay for you to take something on a flight with usually less than 12 hours notice) for a trip to helsinki in 2018 and I’m still bitter I just missed getting the gig by like 5 minutes.
I’ve been so close to Helsinki (St Petersburg, Riga) but I had a Russian single-entry visa which doesn’t allow you to leave and come back. Finland is the last nordic country for me to go to.
Closest I’ve been is Copenhagen which I’ve been to 4 times for work and loved it. I’m a little annoyed at my self for not taking the train over to Sweden since it’s like right there! but I’m sure I’ll be back at some point.
Right now we are looking at weekend trips to Wisconsin and Nebraska, as those are very close to us that we haven’t checked off the family list. The plan for Nebraska is to go to the Omaha Zoo and then a playground in Council Bluffs, Iowa. I think the plan for Wisconsin is to visit Madison. We will probably see friends there and just play in parks and get New Glarus beer. Still considering a trip to the Dells, but our kids don’t swim on their own yet, so it seems limiting.
Unfortunately, international travel is off the radar until very young kids can be vaccinated. And even then, I’m not so sure, since so many countries are locked down with what you can do there.
Yeah I think international travel will be a long while away, I think I’m hearing that a vaccine for kids will be available soon. 12-15 possibly next week and then even younger by the fall.
For your NY destination, let me know if you need recommendations for anything. I grew up and live there now.
I want to go to Europe the second I am able to go safely with things actually open. I’m kind of torn because I want to show my husband a lot of places but also want to go to places that are new to me. Top contenders for me right now are probably Sicily or Portugal (both new to me). For my birthday in March of next year, I would love to be in Rome, because I’ve always dreamed of going to Rome during artichoke season (which is when my birthday is). I’m not booking any flights yet, just saving money, trying to get airline miles, and I should renew my passport.
I have been to 40 from that list, though I feel like I miscounted.
I had been hoping to do some domestic holidays this year but I may be starting a new job in June, which will mean no leave again so the trips for 2021 may be postponed. Though I do have trips to Broome, Tasmania,Melbourne and Sydney booked for this year, they are to visit family.
I am thinking next trips will hopefully be Christmas Island and Cocos Keeling Islands
Our federal government has said we wont be able to travel internationally (except New Zealand) until end of 2022 maybe 2023. I am not too sure where/when I will feel comfortable travelling overseas, prior to Covid I had been wanting my next trips overseas to be either Bhutan or India but I am not too sure now, it will probably end up being somewhere to visit friends and family.
I was super lucky that beginning of 2020 I went to Argentina, Chile and Antarctica
@haypug16 I totally recommend Antarctica, it was absolutely amazing! This is the company I went with Aurora Expeditions they were expensive but I felt it was worth it.
Anyone have any good Travel hacking tips? I have dabbled in it a bit and gotten a few free flights or statement credits here and there but I think there is more potential out there to start collecting points for when I do start to fly places.
